1. THE RENAISSANCE “All the world is a stage, And all the men and women merely players” As You Like It, W. Shakespeare

2. The Tudor Years 1485-1603

3. The Tudors The three main leaders in the dynasty were: – Henry VII – Henry VIII – Elizabeth I

5. Henry VII The War of the Roses had greatly debilitated the power of the monarchy. Kings followed one another in quick succession. Henry VII stayed in power for 20 years and made the monarchy an stabilizing force.

7. Henry VIII Weaker nobles meant a weaker parliament. This strong king took decisions after consultations with a very small group of advisers. Most of the times with Henry VIII it was just one adviser, Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York.

8. The Reformation In England it was instigated by Henry VIII, and initially related to his private life. He needed a male heir. He asked the Pope for a divorce, which he was not granted. So he decided to break away from Rome, and with the Act of Supremacy (1534) he became the Head of the Church of England.

10. The English people were glad to see the end of interference by the Pope on national affairs. Between 1536 and 1539 all monasteries and abbeys were closed. The Bible was first published in English in 1539. The Book of Common Prayer was published in 1584.

11. ELIZABETH I Religious disputes would breed violence and intolerance for years to come. Mary I: execution of protestant leaders. Elizabeth I: prohibited celebration of catholic mass. During the following century (XVII) these divisions would lead to open conflict.

14. During the XVI century, the balance of power in Europe changed. During the first half, England’s main rival was France. During the second half, it was Spain, due to conflicting interests in the newly-discovered American continent. From 1584 to the end of Elizabeth’s reign Spain and England fought for control of the seas. Defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588)

16. Sir Frances Drake: led first expedition to circumnavigate the world. He also took part in the defeat of the Armada. Sir Walter Raleigh: He helped establish a colony in Virginia, North America, and brought potatoes and tobacco back to Europe. East India Company (1601) was created to do business with countries in Asia and was the foundation for the later colonisation of India.

18. Colonisation of Ireland It was a direct result of the war between England and Spain. Ireland had remained catholic during the English reformation, and it was feared that it could be used as a base for attack by the Spanish. The Irish were defeated in 1601. Settlement by protestant colonists was encouraged to help pacify the island.

19. When Elizabeth I died, she left a prosperous and progressive country with a monarch respected both as Head of the State and Head of the Church. Prosperity brought an interest in culture and learning. The arts, especially in the form of poetry and the theatre, flourished.